Railway vehicle



J. G. BLUNT RAILWAY VEHICLE n Apl 2, 1940.

Filed nec. 1o, 193e nal-- 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR .fmes GB/unf April 2, 1940. y

J. G. BLUNT RAILWAY VEHICLE Filed DeC. l0, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 :Y om mw SNN v Q N l Nm, m mm, L ow mh mm film, @N NN E E ow INVENTOR Blur/7' G. M A Q d `N m v I Q\ lg .EJON

April 2, 1940. .11. G. BLUNT RAILWAY VEHICLE l0, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Filed Dec.

..-vaar April 2, 1940.

J. G. BLUNT RAILWAY VEHICLE Filed DeC. lO,` 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lNvENToR Jmes GB/mf' BY/ff A 'o NEY Patented Apr. Z, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlQ-CE RAILWAY VEHICLE vfipplicaton December 10, 1938, Serial No. 244,886

6 Claims.

This invention relates to railway vehicles, and more particularly to trucks therefor of a type .especially adapted for employment as the leading truck of a steam locomotive.

An object of the invention is to provide a sixwheel leading truck for a locomotive.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multi-axle truck for a steam locomotive having side power cylinders, the wheeled axle of the truck adjacent the end of the cylinders remote from the piston rod beingof the inside journal type to provide suicient clear space at these ends of the cylinders to permit they cylinder heads at these .ends to be. removed and the pistons and piston rods to be removed through these ends, the truck having an axle with outside journal boxes in line with the respective cylinders, the axle being disposed relative to the cylinders so as not to interfere with the removal of the 20 aforementioned parts, to lend stability in supporting the superstructure.

Another object is to provide, in a truck having inside and outside journal bearings, truck sections having separate frames, `one of the frames 25 being supported on a plurality of wheeled axles and the other frame being supported at one end upon a wheeled axle, supporting weight of the superstructure, and having connection with the first mentioned frame for transmitting thereto part of the supported Weight of the superstructure, the frames being pivotally connected for lateral radial relative movement.

lAnother object of the invention 4is to provide, in a truck of the sectional type, a pivotal conporting none of the load of the superstructure, and means at each side of and spaced from the pivotal connection connecting the section having the one wheeled axle with the other section for support by said otherl section while leaving the sections free for the lateral radial relative movement about the pivotal connection.

Other objects of and advantages achieved by the present invention will be apparent from vthe following description thereof and the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the front 50 end of a locomotive embodying the present invention, Fig. 2, at vthe right, is a diagrammatic half front end elevation of the locomotive, with parts removed, and at the left, a half section on the line Il-II of Fig. l, the upper portion of the locomotive being broken away; Fig. 3 is :an ennection connecting the separate frames but sup- (Cl. S-37) larged part side elevation and part section on the line III- III of Fig. 4, certain parts being removed and other .parts being shown in dot and dash lines, of the truck of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a part plan view and a part sec- 5 tion on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V of Fig. ll, certain parts being shown'in full, other parts removed, and others parts being shown in dot and dash lines;l Fig. 6 is a half front end view of the truck as l0 viewed in Fig. l; Fig. 'l is a half rear view of the truck; Fig. 8, at the right, is a half section on the line VIE-VIII, certain parts being shown in full, and at the left, a fragmental half section on the line VIII-VIIIZ of Fig. 3; and Fig.` 15 9, at the right, is a half sectionon the line IX-IX, parts being broken away, andat the left a half section on the line IIC-IX. of Fig. 3.

The locomotive is indicated generally by the reference numeral i. It may be of a conventional design and will require no description except as to the parts bearing on the present invention, and although the truck of the present invention has special application as a leading truck for a steam locomotive, it will be understood that it may be otherwise employed where appropriate in railway vehicles. In the present instance the front end of a 6-4-4-6 Mallet locomotive is shown. The great Weight of the superstructure of such a locomotive and of other modern high r speed locomotives makes it advisable to employ a six-wheel leading truck.

The locomotive comprises a main frame 2 and a power cylinder 3 provided with a piston 3' and a piston rod 3, located at each side there- 35 of toward the front of the locomotive in the, usual manner. These parts, andthe boiler, are included in the term superstructure as employed herein, together with the other parts usually included in the superstructure. A center pin 4 for connection with 'the leading truck of the locomotivey depends from the frame 2 at a sufficient distance in advance ofthe power cylindersA to prevent interference of the rear part of the truckwith the power cylinders when paSsing through curvedftrack.

The truck of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference numeral 5. It comprises two sections, indicated generally by the reference numerals S and l respectively. The section 1 comprises a forward axle 8 having Wheels 9 and a rear axle lil having wheels ll, and resembles iny effect an equalized four-Wheel truck as will later more fully appear. The section 6, which is conveniently termed a main section for the reason that it initially supports the load of the superstructure, has an axle I2 having wheels I3, this axle I2 being disposed near the rear end of the section 6. For convenience the terms front and rear are employed as this is appropriate in the present instance where the truck is employed as a leading truck for a steam locomotive, but it will be understood that in other locations the truck may be turned end for end, making the rear end of the truck the front end and the front end the rear end. However, in the present instance the truck will be described in its application as a leading truck.

The truck is provided throughout with conventional journal boxes I4 housed for vertical movement in pedestals I5. These parts are shown similar in each instance and the boxes may be either of the frictional or anti-frictional bearing type, as desired. Either Timken or SKF bearings may be used if the boxes are of the antifrictional type.

The axle I2 has inside journals and the axles 8 and II) have outside journals. The outside journals give the truck suicient width to provide ample stability for the support of the superstructure of the locomotive carried thereby, the outside journal boxes extending laterally to an extent to bring them into line with the power cylinders 3. This is the preferable construction although one of the axles of section l may be of the inside journal type where appropriate. By making the axle I2 of the inside journal type and suitably disposing the frame supporting the inside boxes for a sufficient length thereof within the space between the planes of the wheels of this axle, the transverse over-all dimension of the rear portion of the section 6 is kept within the bounds of the power cylinders 3, that is to say a clear space is provided ahead of the power cylinders so that the front cylinder heads may be removed and the pistons and piston rods removed through the front end of the cylinders for repair and replacement of the piston rings, etc. This association with the power cylinders of a truck having this type of axle and frame, in combination with an axle of the outside journal box type, is a feature of the present invention. Broadly considered, a truck having these characteristics may comprise either two, three, or a larger nurnber of axles, the requirement being that the axle of the inside journal box type is so disposed adjacent the cylinder heads remote from the piston rod as to prevent the removal of the parts mentioned were it of the outside journal box type, and furthermore that the axle or axles, as the case may be, having outside journal boxes which are in line with the cylinders, are so disposed relative to the cylinders (which may be either forward or rearward of the cylinders) as not to interfere with the removal of the above mentioned parts.

While the truck brake rigging is not shown, as it forms no part of the present invention, it will be understood that any preferred or well-known type may be employed.

The frame of the truck section 6 is indicated generally by the reference numeral I6 and that of the section 'l by the reference numeral l1. The frames I6 and Il are doubly spring-supported from each of the boxes in a similar manner, as shown in Fig. 3. Therefore a description of one of these spring supports will suice.

The truck frames are formed of parts gener- Vally box-shape in cross section, providing at each side of each pedestal an oriced horizontal web I8. Each journal box I4 has supported thereupon a longitudinally extending semi-elliptic spring I9, which is disposed between the side walls of the adjacent frame member and from each end of which depends a hanger 20 which passes through the orifice in the adjacent web I8 and has mounted thereon beneath the web a coil spring 2I in supporting engagement therewith. Beneath the spring, mounted upon the hanger, is a seat 22 for supporting the spring 2|, which is held in place by a nut 23 screwed upon the end of the hanger. A single coil spring is shown, but a double coil spring, or other type of yielding device, may be used if desired. A double spring support is thus provided for the frame at each of the boxes. The superstructure is thus borne by separate spring supports instead of the equalizing spring rigging commonly employed, and thereiore all equalizers, equalizer pins, hangers and bolted fastenings are eliminated. The frame I6 serves as an equalizer of the load supported by the truck as will later more fully appear.

The frame I1 comprises separate side frame members 24, disposed outside of the wheels, in which the boxes I4 of the axles 8 and I0 are housed with a working lit to provide for vertical relative movement between the side frame members and boxes but no lateral relative movement therebetween. The side members midway between the axles 8 and ID are each provided with a pocket 25, the bottom of which provides a seat 26. The journal boxes have, at their inner faces 2l, a working lit with the outer faces of the hubs 28 of the adjacent wheels. A bolster 29, having a centrally disposed pin socket 30, is housed at its end portions in the pockets 25, these portions being supported by the seats 26.

At the outer faces of the side members the bolster is formed at each end with a cross member 3l, extending longitudinally of the truck, having end portions spaced laterally somewhat beyond and extending downwardly opposite the adjacent outer faces of the side members. Each of these spaces is lled with a shoe 32 bolted to the cross member by a bolt 33 and making a Working t with the face of the adjacent side member, thereby preventing transverse movement of the bolster relative to the side members, the side members being provided with lugs 34 making a working iit with an adjacent shoe. The lugs 34 of a side member are disposed between the shoes, thereby cooperating to prevent longitudinal movement of the bolster relative to the side members.

The frame I'I is simple in construction, durable and cheap in maintenance. The working fit between the side frame members and bolster shoes, and journal boxes and between the journal boxes and the wheel hubs provides, with the bolster, the degree of rigidity required of a truck frame. The truck section 'I is, however, sufliciently flexible, due to its construction and the working clearances provided, and the truck section 6 is also suii'iciently iiexible, to compensate for track irregularities.

The bolster is provided with finished seats 35 directly over the side frame members.

The frame I 6, unlike the frame Il, is a rigid structure, preferably a unitary casting, comprising side members 36 in which the boxes I4 of the axle I 2 are housed, and a unitary cross member 31 provided with a transversely extending slot 38 for a purpose later to be mentioned. The side members 36 extend forwardly beyond the cross member 31 and have integrally formed therewith a transverse member 39. The member 39 exarticulation, being relatively short.

arcano? tends to the 'side frame members 24 yand is provvided with finished bosses Y40 which engage vthe finished seats 35. A pin 4I vis integrally'formed on the transverse member 39 fat thecenter thereof, and extends into the socket 30. Lubricant containers 42 are provided in the' transverse member 39 .for lubricating the sea-ts 35 `and the cylindrical socket 30, the pin being "hollow and lateral radial relative movement between the sections'tl and l to permit'the truck to pass through curved trac-k with maximum ease as` to wheel flange stresses, the rigid wheel base, due to this During 'this lateral radial relative movement the bosses :Gli slide upon the lubricated seats 35 and the pin li turns within the lubricated socket 3B.

In the preferred construction the -bolster'g bears none of the yweight of the loadl at its'central position, as will be clearly seen'by an inspection of Fig. 9 where clearances a and h are provided between adjacent horizontal faces of the pin and socket. The pin ihsocket vr3Q connection does however take al1 the lateral thrust between the two frames. The weight of the load borne by the section 'l is received by the bolster upon the seats l35 being transmitted thereto from the transverse member `39 vwhich rides upon the bolster. This weight is transmitted from the bolster to the side frame members 24 these members directly support the entire weight transmitted tothe section l. This feature of the pin li serving only as a pivot pin, is a feature of the present invention. It is not intended to confine this feature to any particular construction of truck, as it has broad application. This feature enables the Various associated parts to be made lighter and provides for a transmission of the load directly to the kparts best suited, namely the side frame members to which the load is vertically transmitted. However, when desired, the truck may be designed for supporting some of the load at the pin connection.

I The pin Il! is in the longitudinal. vertical central plane of the truck and is midway between the axles 3 and Il! so'that the section 'l uniformly turns about the pin connection, and as the seats 35, when the truck is on tangent track, are in transverse alignment with the pin M, the load transmitted to the section 'l duringy such times is, transmitted equally to the four wheels of the axles and il).

A lateral motion resisting and centering device, indicated generally by the reference numeral d5, is interposed between the superstructure of the locomotive and the frame it. Any appro priate type of lateral motion. device may be employed. "In the present instance however, a device somewhat similar to that shown in my United States Patent No. 1,482,109,'issued January 29, l1924s, has been chosen. For a full understanding of the main features of the .device reference may be had to this patent. Only suicient of the device is shown and described in the present instance to clearly understand its adaptationto the present invention.

The device comprises a lower'roller seat'd and an upper roller seat 41, best shown in Figs. Sand 8. The seats are provided with the usual in clined faces to provide for the desired amount' of resisting and centering action. Between the seats are 'rollers 158 provided at their ends with -gear wheels 149 which .mesh with toothed racks Mia. which are carried by the seats inthe usual manner. The rollers 'are journalled in fthe usual yoke f50. f i

The frame I6 is provided .with a chamber 15| in '.whichthc device is housed forrelative transverse movement l'between the seats and appropriate Lrolling of the rollers as the superstructure and vtruck Vmove .relatively in a transverse direction. 'The' lower seat rests upon the bottom of the chamber and is provided .with .a slot 52 Awhich registerswithand is of equal length-to the rtrans- .versefslot 38 formed in the frame, this length bein'gsu'icient for maximum lateral movement. The bottom of the chamber iii is vclose to the .axle Hl, thereby keeping the center bearing point .as low :as possible. The upper seat Ais provided Iwith `an orifice '53 registering with the slots 52 and 138 for .the reception of a pin or bolt (not shown), the lower end of which passesl through the slots for holding the parts together .whilepenlnitting their relative movement, the pin moving 'through the slots during such movement, yall in Ithe usual manner.

The upper seat isprovided with a center plate 54 in .which seats the center pin 'A (see Fig. When on tangent track, the center vplate'ifl is disposed with its center directly above the of the axle lli and in the ylongitudinal vertical `center .plane of the truck. Means is thus pro- =vided,.including the center `pin-center platedatu veral motion device construction, for'transmitting weightof the load of thesuperstructure to the truck; to permit lateralradial movement between vthe superstructure and truck; to vprovide .yielding resistance to lateral displacement movement be tween the superstructure and Struck, especially when entering and leaving curved track; and 'for 'aiding in centering the superstructure and truck after such movement, as for instance when en- ,tering tangent track. These, however, are the usual .functions of such a structure. While thel resistance device ofthe preferred embodiment disposed betweenthe truck and .the center bearing, it may, if desired, with appropriate obvious changes, be'disposedbetween the superstructure and the center bearing.

In the preferred construction, when" the truck is on tangent track, thecenters of .the supports, `indicated at c and d, of the sideiframe members .2faffortheframe i6, are midway between theaxes ofthe axles 8 and lli, aspreviously remarked, and in` similar manner'the distance ybetween the `axis of the center plate l-and the anis of the socket 3D is one-half that betweenthe axis of the axles 'B and Jil. `The distance between theaxis of the center plate .ad and .the axis of the axle i2 is .twice'this distance, i. e., is equal to the distance Ybetween the axes of the 4axles 'S and la. By this .arrangement the axle vl2 supports one-third of Athe weight of the load of the superstructure supported by the truck. The remaining two-thirds lofthe weight is transmitted vto the side'franie rmembersiZdand each axles and Hl supports .onchalf of thistwo-thirds of the weight. Therefore each axle of the'truck supports one-third-of the weightof the load'transmitted tothe-truck. The frame Iii thus serves as an equalizer of this weight, thereby also equalizing the wheel flange pressure of all six wheels. By suitably propor- 'tioningthese distances the weight of the superstructure carried by the truck may be distributed between the kaxles of the truck in anydcsired Lfmanner. The' truck, in its preferred'embodiment, hasyas showngbutfthree axles, ibut. it .will be understood that other axles may be added in appropriate cases if desired.

The chamber 5I has relatively high transverse walls 55 which make a working fit with the yoke 50 permitting free movement of the yoke with the rollers relative thereto when the superstructure and truck move transversely relative to each other. The chamber 5| has relatively low longitudinal shoulders 5B between which the lower seat snugly ts and which serve to prevent transverse movement of this seat relative to the truck. This seat may be otherwise secured to the truck in any desired manner. Spaced outwardly beyond the shoulders 56 are walls 51 which are suiciently high to abut the approaching end of the yoke 50 during the relative lateral movement between the seats. Any appropriate means for limiting the lateral displacement movement may be employed instead of the walls 51. The relative lateral movement provided is sufficient to permit the superstructure and truck to move laterally relative to each other when passing through any curved track, but it is so limited as to keep the center plate 54 well within the limits of the foul'- point support of the frame I6, that is to say within the defining lines drawn from the points c and d to the centers of the bearings of the axle l2 at the same side of the truck as the respective points c and d. This insures stable support for the center pin 4 and consequently the superstructure above the supporting truck, also eliminating any tilting tendency of the bolster. This construction also provides for a wide range of lateral movement of the center plate without overloading the framework of the truck when extreme lateral movement of the center plate occurs.

While there has been hereinbefore described an approved embodiment of this invention, it will be understood that many and various changes and modications in form, arrangement of parts and details of construction thereof may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and that all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims are contemplated as a part of this invention.

The invention claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A locomotive comprising power cylinders at each side thereof having pistons and piston rods; and a truck, supporting weight of the locomotive superstructure, having a framing, a wheeled axle with inside journals adjacent the ends of said cylinders remote from said piston rods, said framing adjacent the wheels of said axle being disposed within the space between the planes of the outer faces of said wheels, and housing said journals, to provide suiicient clear space at said ends of said cylinders to permit the cylinder heads at said ends to be removed and the pistons to be removed through said ends, and another wheeled axle with outside journals, said framing extending laterally outwardly beyond said wheels of said outside journal axle, housing said outside journals, and in line with said cylinders, said outside journal axle being disposed relative to said cylinders so that said extending frame will not interfere with the removal of said cylinder' heads and said pistons.

2. In a locomotive, a truck comprising a framing; a Wheeled axle; outside journals for said axle, supporting a portion of said framing; another wheeled axle; inside journals for said other Wheeled axle supporting another portion of said framing; and power cylinders carried by said locomotive, one at each side thereof, said cylinders having heads disposed in line with but distant from said outside journals and adjacent and outwardly from the wheels of said inside journal axle, whereby a free space is provided in front of and adjacent said heads to permit said heads to be removed.

3. A locomotive comprising a main frame; power cylinders at each side thereof carried by said locomotive at the forward portion of said frame; pistons and piston rods disposed in said cylinders; a supporting member carried by said frame between said cylinders and the iront end of said frame; and a leading truck having a framing, means in engagement with said supporting member for transmitting weight of the locomotive superstructure to said truck and for permitting lateral radial relative movement between said superstructure and said truck, a wheeled axle with inside journals adjacent the forward ends of said cylinders, said framing adjacent the wheels of said axle being disposed Within the space between the planes of the outer faces of said wheels, and housing said journals, to provide suflicient clear space at said ends of said cylinders to permit the cylinder heads at said ends to be removed and said pistons to be removed through said ends, and another wheeled axle with outside journals, said framing extending laterally outward beyond said wheels of said outside journal axle, housing said outside journals, and in line with said cylinders, said outside journal axle being disposed relative to said cylinders so that said extending frame will not interfere with the removal of said cylinder heads and said pistons.

4. A railway vehicle truck comprising three spaced wheeled axles; a frame supported on two of said axles, said twoaxles having outside journals, one of said two axles being the intermediate axle, said frame having two side members housing the journals of said two axles and supported thereby, a cross member connecting said side members between said two axles, and upwardly directed bearing faces at the intersections of the vertical planes of said cross member and said side members; a second frame, housing at one end thereof, the journals of the third of said axles and supported at said end thereby, said last mentioned journals being inside journals, said second frame having at its opposite end a cross member spaced above and pivoted to said rst mentioned cross member, and provided with downwardly directed bearing faces slidably engaging said upwardly directed bearing faces and supported thereby; and a center bearing carried by said second frame between the wheels of said intermediate axle providing a pivotal support' for the superstructure of said vehicle, said pivotal support and said bearing faces cooperating to transmit weight of said superstructure to said side members.

5. A railway vehicle truck comprising three spaced wheeled axles; a frame supported on two of said axles, said two axles having outside journals, one of said two axles being the intermediate axle, said frame having two side members housing the journals of said two axles and supported thereby, a bolster flexibly connecting said side members between said two axles, having upwardly directed bearing faces at the intersections of the vertical planes of said bolster and said side members; a second frame, housing at one end thereof, the journals of the third of said axles and supported at said end thereby, said last mentioned journals being inside journals, said second frame having at its opposite end a cross member spaced above and pivoted to said bolster and provided with downwardly directed bearing faces slidably engaging said upwardly directed bearing faces and supported thereby; and a center bearing carried by said second frame between the wheelsof said intermediate axle providing a pivotal support for the superstructure of said vehicle, said pivotal support and said bearing faces cooperating to transmit weight of said superstructure to said side members. f

6. A railway vehicle truck comprising three spaced wheeled axles; a frame supported on two of said axles, said two axles having outside journals, one of said two axles being the intermediate axle, said frame having two side members housing the journals of said two axles and supported thereby, a cross member connecting said side members between said two axles, and upwardly directed bearing faces at the intersections of the vertical planes of said cross member and said side members; a second frame, housing at one end thereof, the journals of the third of said axles and supported at said end thereby, said last mentioned journals being inside journals, said. second frame having at its opposite end a cross member spaced above and having pivotal connection with saidr first mentioned cross member, and provided with downwardly directed bearing faces slidably engaging said upwardly directed bearing faces and supported thereby, said bearing faces and said inside journals providing a four point support for said second frame; a center plate-pin connection for the superstructure of said vehicle carried by said second frame between the wheels of said intermediate axle and between said pivotal connection and said third axle; and a lateral motion device between said center plate-pin connection and said second frame permitting limited lateral movement of said center plate-pin connection relative to said second frame within the boundsv of said four points of support.

JAMES G. BLUNT. 

